In addition to certain guarantees provided by law, LegalZoom guarantees your satisfaction with our services and support. Because our company was created by experienced attorneys, we strive to be the best legal document service on the web. If you are not satisfied with our services, please contact us immediately and we will correct the situation, provide a refund or offer credit that can be used for future LegalZoom orders.

LegalZoom Satisfaction Guarantee Details:

If you're not satisfied, simply call us toll-free at (800) 773-0888 during our normal business hours. All requests made under this guarantee must be made within 60 days of purchase. We will process your request within 5 business days after we've received all of the documents and materials sent to you. Unfortunately, we can't refund or credit any money paid to government entities, such as filing fees or taxes, or to other third parties with a role in processing your order. We also cannot refund any money paid by you directly to third parties, such as payments made by you directly to attorneys affiliated with our legal plans or attorney-assisted products.

If you want to exchange the product you ordered for a different one, you must request this exchange and complete your replacement order within 60 days of purchase. The purchase price of the original item, less any money paid to government entities, such as filing fees or taxes, or to other third parties with a role in processing your order, will be credited to your LegalZoom account. Any payments made directly by you to attorneys affiliated with our legal plans or attorney-assisted products are not eligible for exchange or credit. Any price difference between the original order and the replacement order or, if a replacement order is not completed within 60 days of purchase, the full original purchase price (in each case less any money paid to government entities or other third parties) will be credited to the original form of payment. If you paid for your original order by check, LegalZoom will mail a check for the applicable amount to your billing address.

Please note that we cannot guarantee the results or outcome of your particular procedure. For instance, the government may reject a trademark application for legal reasons beyond the scope of LegalZoom's service. In some cases, a government backlog can lead to long delays before your process is complete. Similarly, LegalZoom does not guarantee the results or outcomes of the services rendered by our legal plan attorneys or attorney-assisted products. Problems like these are beyond our control and are not covered by this guarantee.

Since we're dedicating time and effort to your legal document preparation, our guarantee only covers satisfaction issues caused by LegalZoom - not changes to your situation or your state of mind.

How to Form a Tennessee Corporation

How to Form a Tennessee Corporation

One of the biggest advantages of forming a corporation is the limited liability it offers its owners/shareholders. Because a corporation is a separate legal entity, the shareholders’ homes, cars and other personal assets are not at risk if the corporation is sued or runs into financial trouble. The shareholders’ losses are limited to the amount they invested in the corporation. Forming a corporation also offers benefits such as possible tax savings and the facility to transfer shares from one shareholder to another.

Requirements for Incorporating in Tennessee

Preparing Your Charter

To form a corporation, you must file a charter with the Secretary of State and pay a filing fee. The corporation’s existence begins when you file the charter, unless the charter specifies a later date. The charter can include many provisions, but it must contain the following:

Name of the corporation

Address of the corporation’s principal office

Stock structure

Names and addresses of incorporators

Registered agent

A statement that the corporation is for profit

The charter must state the total number of shares the corporation is authorized to issue. If more than one class of shares is authorized, the charter must state the number of shares in each class and prescribe a distinguishing designation for each class. Before shares of a class can be issued, the charter must state the preferences, limitations and rights applicable to shares in that class.

You must choose a corporate name that is available for use in Tennessee. You can check name availability online at the Secretary of State’s website.

You may reserve a corporate name for four months by filing an application with the Secretary of State.

When choosing a name for your corporation, you must adhere to the following requirements:

Your corporation’s name must contain the word “corporation,” “incorporated” or “company,” or the abbreviation “corp.,” “inc.” or “co.”

A corporation’s name must be distinguishable from any other active or reserved name in the Secretary of State’s corporate management system database.

Specifying Incorporators

An incorporator signs the charter and files it with the Secretary of State. You must meet the following requirements when specifying incorporators:

Incorporators’ names and addresses must be listed in the charter.

Your corporation must have at least one incorporator.

An incorporator may be a person who is at least 18 years old or an entity.

If the charter does not list the initial directors, the incorporators must elect directors. They may also approve bylaws and complete the organization of the corporation.

Specifying Directors

The corporation’s business is managed under the direction of the board of directors. Directors also exercise corporate powers and develop long-term strategies.

When specifying directors for your corporation, you must adhere to the following requirements:

A corporation must have at least one director. There is no maximum number of directors, but the number of directors should be stated in either the charter or bylaws.

The charter or bylaws can establish eligibility requirements for directors. The state does not require that directors be shareholders or Tennessee residents.

Specifying a Registered Agent and Registered Office

A registered agent receives official correspondence, such as lawsuits and notices on behalf of a corporation, and forwards that correspondence to the corporation. A registered office is the business address where the agent can be found during normal working hours.

The following requirements apply when specifying a registered agent and office:

The charter must list the street address in Tennessee of the registered office and the name of the registered agent.

A registered agent may be an individual who resides in Tennessee or a corporation formed or authorized to do business in Tennessee. The registered agent’s business address must be identical to the registered office address.

Stating a Corporate Purpose

Tennessee law does not require you to state a corporate purpose in the charter. All Tennessee corporations have a purpose of engaging in any lawful business, unless the charter states a more limited purpose.

Determining Incorporation Bylaws

Your corporation’s bylaws are its internal rules and procedures, such as procedures for holding shareholders’ meetings and choosing officers and directors. There is no specific information that must be included in the bylaws. Anything that relates to regulating the business and affairs of the corporation is acceptable. Bylaws are not filed with the Secretary of State.

The following requirements apply when determining your corporation’s bylaws:

The board of directors or incorporators must adopt corporate bylaws.

Bylaws cannot be inconsistent with the law or the charter.

Costs of Incorporating in Tennessee

The Tennessee Secretary of State requires a fee when filing a charter or reserving a corporation name. Corporations are also required to pay state and federal income taxes.

Disclaimer: Communications between you and LegalZoom are protected by our Privacy Policy but not by the attorney-client privilege or as work product. LegalZoom provides access to independent attorneys and self-help services at your specific direction. We are not a law firm or a substitute for an attorney or law firm. We cannot provide any kind of advice, explanation, opinion, or recommendation about possible legal rights, remedies, defenses, options, selection of forms or strategies. Your access to the website is subject to our Terms of Use.

LegalZoom gladly provides services to citizens of the EU wishing to start a business or protect their intellectual property in the United States. Additional costs may apply.